Electrical Testing Apparatus for Spintronics Devices

1. A method for evaluating electrical characteristics of at least one magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device under test (DUT) comprising the steps of: receiving tester configuration data, test pattern data, and tester operation data; configuring a configurable circuit for performing a designated test evaluation and analysis function based on the tester configuration data; generating a stimulus waveform based upon the tester configuration data, the tester operation data, and the test pattern data; converting the stimulus waveform to an analog stimulus signal; transferring the analog stimulus signal to a first terminal of the at least one MTJ DUT at reception of a trigger timing signal; generating time traces based on the trigger timing signal; attenuating the analog stimulus signal as the analog stimulus signal is transferred through the MTJ DUT such that a response signal is developed at a second terminal of the MTJ DUT and across a termination resistor; converting the response signal to a digitized response signal indicating its voltage amplitude; and performing the designated test evaluation and analysis function in the configurable circuit based on voltage amplitudes and time values of the stimulus waveform, the digitized response signal, and the timing traces.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: storing the tester configuration data, the test pattern data and the tester operation data in a stimulus memory; and storing the timing traces and a voltage amplitude of the stimulus waveform to a response memory.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the stimulus memory and the response memory are non-transitory storage media.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising storing voltage amplitudes of the digitized response signal to the response memory.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising storing results of the designated test evaluation and analysis function in the response memory.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the designated test evaluation and analysis function is configured for averaging voltage amplitudes of the stimulus waveform or the response signal of the at least one MTJ DUT.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the designated test evaluation and analysis function is configured for determining a differential resistance of the at least one MTJ DUT.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the designated test evaluation and analysis function is configured for determining a degradation time with constant voltage stress of the at least one MTJ DUT.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the designated test evaluation and analysis function is configured for determining a degradation time with ramped voltage stress of the at least one MTJ DUT.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the designated test evaluation and analysis function is configured for determining a failure count with times of failure of the at least one MTJ DUT.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the designated test evaluation and analysis function is configured for determining a bit error rate of the at least one MTJ DUT.

12. A method for evaluating electrical characteristics of at least one magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device under test (DUT) comprising the steps of: receiving tester configuration instructions, test pattern data, and tester operation data; based on the tester configuration instructions, configuring a configurable function circuit for performing a designated test evaluation and analysis function; generating a stimulus waveform based upon the tester configuration instructions, the tester operation data, and the test pattern data; converting the stimulus waveform to an analog stimulus signal; applying the analog stimulus signal to a first terminal of the at least one MTJ DUT at reception of a trigger timing signal; generating time traces based on the trigger timing signal; storing the timing traces and a voltage amplitude of the stimulus waveform to a response memory; generating a response signal at a second terminal of the MTJ DUT and across a termination resistor as the analog stimulus signal is transferred through the MTJ DUT; recording and converting the response signal to a digitized response signal indicating its voltage amplitude; storing the voltage amplitude of the digitized response signal to the response memory; performing the designated test evaluation and analysis function in the configurable function circuit based on the voltage amplitude and time values of the stimulus waveform, the digitized response signal, and the timing traces; and storing results of the designated test evaluation and analysis function in the response memory.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising retaining the tester configuration instructions, the test pattern data, and the tester operation data in a non-transitory stimulus memory after the receiving and before the configuring.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising decoding the tester configuration instructions before the configuring.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising storing results of the designated test evaluation and analysis function in the response memory.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising extracting stored results of the designated test evaluation and analysis function for transfer to a tester controller for further analysis and display.

17. A method for evaluating electrical characteristics of at least one magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device under test (DUT) comprising the steps of: receiving tester configuration instructions, test pattern data, and tester operation data from a tester controller; retaining the tester configuration instructions, the test pattern data, and the tester operation data in a non-transitory stimulus memory; configuring a configurable function circuit for performing a designated test evaluation and analysis function based on the tester configuration instructions; generating a stimulus waveform based on the tester configuration instructions, the tester operation data, and the test pattern data; converting the stimulus waveform to an analog stimulus signal; transferring the analog stimulus signal to a first terminal of the at least one MTJ DUT at reception of a trigger timing signal; generating time traces based on the trigger timing signal; storing the timing traces and a voltage amplitude of the stimulus waveform to a non-transitory response memory; attenuating the analog stimulus signal as the analog stimulus signal is transferred through the MTJ DUT such that a response signal is developed at a second terminal of the MTJ DUT and across a termination resistor; recording and converting the response signal to a digitized response signal indicating its voltage amplitude; storing the voltage amplitude of the digitized response signal to the non-transitory response memory; extracting the voltage amplitude and time values of the stimulus waveform, the digitized response signal, and the timing traces for executing the designated test evaluation and analysis function in the configurable function circuit; performing the designated test evaluation and analysis function in the configurable function circuit; and storing results of the designated test evaluation and analysis function in the non-transitory response memory.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the designated test evaluation and analysis function includes a response pulse averaging function, a differential resistance calculation, a time dependent dielectric breakdown test with a constant voltage stress, a time dependent dielectric breakdown test with a ramped voltage stress, or a bit error rate calculation.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising decoding the tester configuration instructions and the tester operation data before the configuring of the configurable function circuit and the generating of the stimulus waveform.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising extracting stored results of the designated test evaluation and analysis function for transfer to the tester controller for further analysis and display.